2015, A year in review

As 2015 comes to a close I think back on all of the fun and exciting things I did, the people I met, and the fun I had with my friends all around the world. This year I traveled to three new countries, Ecuador, Singapore, and Thailand. I visited friends in Singapore, Bangkok, Jacksonville, Orlando, Chicago, Quad Cities, Cincinnati, Knoxville, New Orleans, Tampa, and Naples. Friends visited me on the Big Island from Orlando and San Antonio. I met new friends from all over the world this year in the Everglades, San Francisco, Chicago, Thailand, and Ecuador. It has been an exciting year for travel and got two more continents checked off my list, now I have Antarctica left to visit.

On a very sad note, I lost my best friend and dog brother, Duke in May. After 14 and a half years living in Kentucky and Hawaii his life ended where he loved to be, in Paradise. I miss that boy every day. May you rest in peace my furry, ornery, barking, loving, biting, brother. I will think of you every day.

Last year’s resolution was made in my car driving back from Kona Airport at 11:50 pm on New Year's Eve, after I didn’t make it on the flight to LAX that would start my trip in San Francisco. My resolution was to travel more in 2015, and I know I have accomplished that. This year I will continue the resolution, and will add to serve others. I will volunteer, workaway, cook, clean, develop, and learn from others who accept my help.

Here is a list of websites that I have found helpful to help others while traveling:

workaway.info
helpx.com
findacrew.net
wwoof.net
idealist.info
couchsurfing.com

I hope you have enjoyed your 2015 and hope you make 2016 an adventurous one. Life is short and the world is wide.

Delta Sky Club

Oh, how I love the Delta Sky Club. Recently I got an American Express Platinum card which gives me access to the lounge anywhere there is a DSC, or SkyTeam Lounge in places like CDG, AMS, or LHR. My trip from KOA to FLL was the first time I got to try this fancy club out, and boy was I excited!

I flew on the inaugural flight from KOA to SEA on an empty stomach, so my first plan of action was to go to the Sky Club freshen up and get a bite to eat. Luckily my gate was next to the club, and headed for the elevator to the sky... club. I was greeted by 3 lovely Delta agents, passed them my Amex and my boarding pass from KOA to SEA with my seat number on it, they explained how it all works and I was in! By the way, you must have a seat assignment on your boarding pass to gain access to the club. A seat request card will not allow you in, from what I have heard.

The bathroom was clean and spacious with a shower as well. I washed up and headed for the breakfast bar. There were bagels, muffins, toast, fresh fruit, oatmeal, and cereal to eat and all you can drink coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, water, and even alcoholic beverages. I was on a tight schedule so I grabbed a bagel with cream cheese an orange juice and hot chocolate and headed back to my gate for my flight to ATL. The service was pleasant, the seating area was spacious, had lots of comfortable seats, many plugs to charge the gadgets, and great high speed wifi.

Arriving in ATL I went from Terminal A to B and found a Sky Club adjacent to my gate to FLL. There I was greeted by a nice gentleman, he scanned my boarding pass from SEA to ATL and my AMEX and I was granted access. They really make you feel like you are important. I used the clean restroom (and didn't have to wait), grabbed a soup for the road and went to my gate to catch my flight to FLL. The DSC in ATL, Terminal B was very crowded at 3:30pm and a seat was hard to find. The bar was full, but the broccoli cheese soup was tasty and hot. They also had pasta salad, arugula salad and some rolls. A much healthier option than the Terminal food options.

Needless to say, I am proud to have access to this very prestigious and elite club and I don't have to buy drinks or food at the airport anymore.

Click here to visit Delta's website to see all of the Delta and Partner Lounges.
image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Delta_SkyClub_Logo.svg

Upcoming South Florida Trip

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I am so excited to explore a part of Florida I have wanted to see for the longest time, South Florida. I lived in Central Florida for many years and didn't get the chance to see the Florida Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, or the Keys.

My mom and I are starting in Fort Lauderdale visiting with a friend from Hawaii hopefully stand up paddle boarding, then we head to Key Largo for some beach time and snorkeling. In Key Largo we will be camping for two nights and hopefully making some friends with the locals to get a ride on their boat, here's to hoping! After two days in Key Largo exploring the upper and mid keys we head to Key West, the southern most point of the continental United States. We will overnight at Key West Hostel for one night to explore Duval Street, Hemingway's house, and hopefully find a cigar bar to relax at. Post Key West we head back north to the Florida Everglades where we will spend Christmas Eve Eve (my favorite holiday of the season), Christmas Eve and Christmas day at Everglades Hostel and Tours in Homestead, FL. The hostel offers half and full day kayak tours of the Everglades paddling through saw grass prairies and mangrove tunnels, so we are plan on taking advantage of that. December 26, we head to Miami to explore Little Havana and eat some delicious Cuban food that Anthony Bourdain told me about, tour the Art Deco District and soak up some more sun on South Beach. We'll crash at an Air Bnb for the night, then the next morning I'll drop her off at the airport to fly home to Hawaii. I continue on with my South Florida tour.

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The plan right now is to head west from Miami on SR41 through Big Cypress Natural Preserve and end up in Naples for a visit with two friends for a few days, maybe stand up paddle board there too. After a fun visit in Naples, I head to St. Petersburg to hang out with an old colleague from my hotel days to ring in the new year with George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic. What happens in between is a mystery, but I know it will be a blast.

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Is there anywhere that I must see or do while I am on this trip? I'll post reviews and how-to's on my adventure around South Florida, so stay tuned!